Former pastor of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Femi Jimoh, has reportedly died years after becoming embroiled in a highly publicised legal dispute involving an alleged plot to rob the church.
Reports of his death emerged on August 20, 2026, with UK-based Nigerian blogger Maureen Badejo among those who announced the development. The circumstances surrounding his reported death have not been independently confirmed by an official family statement.
Jimoh became widely known after spending several years in detention following his arrest in connection with allegations of conspiracy to rob MFM. He later publicly disputed the allegations and spoke about the difficulties he experienced during his detention.
Nine-Year Detention Became Subject of Controversy
Jimoh’s case attracted considerable public attention after he alleged that he had spent about nine years in detention without trial.
The former pastor was arrested in January 2008 alongside Henry Aiyewero and Caleb Oloruntele over allegations connected to a planned robbery of MFM’s first-fruit offering.
A Lagos State High Court eventually acquitted and discharged Jimoh and the other defendants. Reports on the case have differed over the circumstances surrounding his prolonged detention and the responsibility of the parties involved.
MFM Denied Framing or Jailing Him
MFM strongly rejected allegations that the church or its founder, Pastor Daniel Olukoya, framed Jimoh or deliberately kept him in prison.
The church’s legal representatives maintained that Jimoh and his co-defendants were prosecuted by the state following allegations of a planned robbery.
MFM also disputed claims that the defendants were simply kept in prison for nine years at the church’s direction, arguing that they had been granted bail but that the conditions for their release were not perfected.
Court Records Highlighted Employment Dispute
Jimoh’s legal battle did not end with the criminal case.
He later pursued an employment-related claim against MFM over his salary and employment status during the period of his detention.
A National Industrial Court judgment examined records showing that Jimoh had worked within the MFM structure and considered the circumstances surrounding the suspension of his salary and the termination of his employment. The court record also noted that he had been acquitted and discharged in the criminal proceedings.
Death Revives Questions About His Ordeal
News of Jimoh’s reported death has renewed public interest in the controversy that followed his arrest, prolonged detention and eventual acquittal.
His case had generated intense debate over criminal justice, pre-trial detention and the relationship between religious organisations and former members accused of wrongdoing.
For now, details surrounding the cause of his reported death remain limited, while the wider allegations and counter-allegations that surrounded his case remain matters that should be distinguished from the findings of the courts.
Jimoh’s story, from his years as an MFM pastor to his lengthy detention, acquittal and subsequent public accounts of his experience, remains one of the more controversial legal disputes involving a Nigerian religious organisation in recent years.
